Biafra: Magistrate Court Discharges Nnamdi Kanu For Higher Court To Take Over

SAN FRANCISCO, December 16, (THEWILL) – The Chief Magistrate Court, Wuse zone 2, Abuja, headed by Shuaibu Usman, on Wednesday discharged the Operator of Radio Biafra and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, after holding that the Federal Government had dropped all counts charges of criminal conspiracy and ownership of an unlawful society it had brought against him.

Usman had scheduled December 1 to deliver judgment on the application of the DSS, but later put same off until December 16.

Noting that the government through its agent, the Department of State Services, DSS, had elected to withdraw the case at the lower court for a higher court, which has jurisdiction to entertain charges bordering on terrorism, to take over, the magistrate ruled that “The accused person is hereby discharged and the case struck out.”

It would be recalled that the lower court granted Kanu bail in October, but the Department of State Services, DSS, secured an order of the Federal High Court, Abuja, to continue keeping the IPOB leader in detention.

But the defendant's lawyer, Mr. Vincent Obetta, filed a counter application, seeking bail for the accused person.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court, Abuja, is expected to rule on the bail application on Thursday.

The secret police is believed to have detained Kanu for at least 90 days since the Chief Magistrate Court granted him bail.